Thursday, October 06, 2011

Tunisia, The Nuns Who Teach Dialogue

A school dedicated to interreligious dialogue where, among other things, respect and tolerance are taught. 

The institute is run entirely by a community of nuns.
 
The school (founded in 1880) is located in Bizerte, northwest of Tunis, and every year it welcomes 870 primary school students.
 
There are many parents who choose to entrust their children's education to the nuns of this institution, attracted by their professionalism and the high quality of the teaching, but especially by the values that are transmitted to the children, such as respect, tolerance and civic engagement.
 
"We ask the teachers", declares the school's director and mother superior to the nuns, "to commit to working with children with heart: educating is more than just teaching, and you must be aware that you have in your hands the future of this country."
 
Apart from the nuns, no one in this school is Catholic, and interreligious dialogue, says the school's director, "is lived every day under the banner of mutual respect." 
 
The nuns have adopted a winning formula. Children begin their school day reciting a sura of the Koran in the school's foyer, and then enter the classrooms.

Another sister says, “we must not argue with others to convince them of our faith, but must get to know the other, learn the principles of the other's faith, to respect the other, create confidence and trust, and open ourselves to questions about our faith."
 
Among the short-term projects designed for this institute is the possibility of offering  adequate service for autistic children. 

An explicit request made by some families, since other educational facilities do not yet offer this service. 

It would be the first experience of this kind in Tunisia.